2013 Ford C-Max Energi

Price: $32,950

Cost to drive 25 miles: $1.18

The 2013 Ford C-Max Energi is a plug-in model equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and an electric motor.

Able to reach up to 188 horsepower, the Energi has a large lithium-ion battery pack, and while on electric mode, can travel 21 miles with a top speed of 85mph. The plug-in has an EPA combined rating of 100 MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent).

Ford says the car's battery can be charged in roughly three hours by using a 240-volt outlet.

2014 Chevrolet Spark EV

The 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV, available to residents of Oregon and California, is a 2,989 pound front-wheel drive able to churn out 130hp and 400 lb-ft of torque.

The Spark can go from 0 - 60mph in 7.6 seconds, and according to SlashGear, "excels with point & squirt city driving, dashing into gaps in traffic, thrumming forward from lights, and generally feeling considerably more lively than you might expect."

The car can be charged with a standard 240-volt outlet, and can travel 82 miles on a single charge.

2013 FIAT 500e

Price: $31,800

Cost to drive 25 miles: $0.87

The FIAT 500e an 83-kilowatt electric motor offering 111 horsepower and 147 pound-feet of torque. The electric model is fed by a 24kWh lithium-ion battery mounted under the floor, and is able to reach 0 - 60mph in roughly nine seconds.

Charging time depends on the battery level and charging device, but Fiat estimates that while a level 2 charger can recharge a battery fully in four hours, a standard charger will only give you up to 10 miles of range in the same time period.

2013 Chevrolet Volt

Price: $31,645

Cost to drive 25 miles: $1.05

The 2013 Chevrolet Volt, a hybrid car which merges electric and traditional fossil-fuel power, allows you to drive gas-free for an EPA-estimated 38 miles. In addition, the automaker says the vehicle can be powered by an onboard gas generator that produces electricity so you can travel a total of 380 miles on a full charge and full tank of gas

The Volt can travel 25-30 miles on electric alone, 300 miles with the addition of gas, and has a 1.4-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine -- with 273 lb.–ft. of low–end torque.

2013 Nissan Leaf

Price: $21,300 (after government incentives)

Cost to drive 25 miles: $0.87

The 2013 Nissan Leaf, complete with 107hp, 5 seats and an 80 kW AC synchronous electric motor, is an upgrade on the 2012 model.

The Leaf can go from 0 - 62mph in 11.9 seconds, and has a top speed of 100mph. Nissan claims the Leaf can go 124 miles on a single charge -- up from 109 miles -- and takes only four hours from a standard outlet.

Ford C-MAX hybrid

Price: $25,995

Cost to drive 25 miles: $1.18

The Ford C-MAX 7-seater hybrid is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine good for 141 horsepower and 121 pound-feet of torque, and produce a combined 188hp. In testing, the vehicle was able to reach 0 - 60mph in 8.1 seconds.

2013 Ford C-Max Energi

Price: $32,950

Cost to drive 25 miles: $1.18

The 2013 Ford C-Max Energi is a plug-in model equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and an electric motor.

Able to reach up to 188 horsepower, the Energi has a large lithium-ion battery pack, and while on electric mode, can travel 21 miles with a top speed of 85mph. The plug-in has an EPA combined rating of 100 MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent).

Ford says the car's battery can be charged in roughly three hours by using a 240-volt outlet.

Charlie Osborne, a medical anthropologist who studied at the University of Kent, UK, is a journalist, freelance photographer and former teacher.
She has spent years travelling and working across Europe and the Middle East as a teacher, and has been involved in the running of businesses ranging from media and events to B2B sales. Charli...
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